Caster for sugar or other granular or powdered substances



June2s,193s. M. LOCKER I 2,121,872;

' CASTER FOR SUGAR OR OTHER GRANULAR OR POWDERED SUBSTANCES Filed March18, 1956 Inventor Patented June 28, 1938 I c-Asr nFoR-sUGAR on OTHERGasman -'0RPOWDERED'SUBSTANQES w H illlaui'ice l lpcker, Manchester,England Application March 18, 1936, Serial=No. 69,483

I I In Great Britain -March 30,1935

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a caster forsugar or other granular orpowdered substance, such as salt, coffee, etc.

The ordinary sifter or caster has certaindisadvantages, for example, thequantity delivered is indefinite (being dependent upon the size ofgrain, its dryness and the size' of apertures which are difficult tojudge), and the delivery is very distributed and by its construction itsuse is limited to that for whichit was made, i. e., for sugar or forsalt respectively.

The object of the invention is an improved caster which is simple andefii'cient in operation, is free from the above stated disadvantages andhas a Wider range of utility.

According to the invention, the improved caster comprises a holder orcontainer having a delivery nozzle with synchronized masked inlet andoutlet valves therein, so that the body of the nozzle constitutes ameasuring chamber.

In the accompanying drawing-- Figure 1 is a longitudinal verticalsectional view of my improved caster.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a modified form of the caster.

As shown in Fig. 1, the improved caster comprises a glass jar-like bodya tapering at its lower end to a nozzle in which is fitted the deliverynozzle 1). At its upper end the jar is provided with a screw capv 0having a central hole through which projects the knob 11 of the deliveryvalve described below.

The nozzle b is cylindrical in shape, having a conical flange e adaptedto rest on the inside of the glass body and screw-threaded on itsoutside for a clamping nut f. Above the flange and surrounding thecentral bore of the nozzle are three upstanding guide lugs g. The boreof the nozzle which is about inch long by inch diameter is slightlyenlarged at each end for about inch of its length, forming seatings orstops, h, h for the valves.

The valve consists of two conical washers i and a separated by adistance piece It about inch long-the three parts being mounted on ascrew 1 which screws into the end of a tubular rod m. Onthe upper end ofthe rod m is secured the knob dwhichprojects through the hole in the cap0.

A return spring 0 is provided of the coiled type adapted at one end toencircle the three guide lugs'g above referred to, and having its otherend bent across diametrically to pass through a small hole p in thetubular rod m.

In operation, the spring 0 holds the valves in their raised positionwhen the upperuvalve disc will be above the flange e of the valve body.Sugar or other content of the container may then flow into the chamberof. the valve body b, the conical shape of the valve 7' and of theflange e acting to direct the fioW of the same. To obtain a delivery ofthe sugar the knob d is depressed, which operation may be performed byone finger of the hand in which the caster is held; The first movementof the valves brings the edge of the upper valve disc 7' within the bodyb, of the nozzle before the lower disc 1' leaves the same. Furthermovement of. depressing the knob brings the lower valve 2' beyond theend of. the nozzle 19 when the sugar which has collected between the twovalve discs flows out over the lower conical valve 2'. When the knob isreleased, the valves rise and sugar again flows in under thev uppervalve disc to fill the chamber of the nozzle. The caster above describeddelivers about half a teaspoonful of sugar. at each operation, and thewhole contents of the container can be emptied without difficulty.

The container is easily filled by removing the screw top.

The upstanding lugs g act to locate the return spring and also as aguide for the upper valve disc 7' so that the valve rod will standcentrally While the cap is removedfor filling the container.

By varying the diameter of the spacing collar or both the length of thecollar and nozzle, the g quantity of material which is delivered may beadjusted as may be required. ,The diameterof the valves and nozzle mayalso be varied for the same purpose. 7

In combination with the sifter is a stand q in which the caster maystand or there may be provided a depending flange r as shown in Fig. 2formed as an extension of the glass body a and on which the caster maystand, on a table. One advantage of the separate stand q is however thatany small quantities of sugar which pass the valves due to vibration oraccidental operation of the knob or other cause are collectedtherein andmay be returned to the container. For such purpose the stand ispreferably made so that the end of the container fits thereinsufi-lciently closely to protect any sugar therein from the access offlies or from other contamination. Also the end of. the screw Z may beextended to engage the well of the stand q so that the knob cannot bedepressed until the caster is lifted.

As already explained, the caster may be used l'or salt, tea, coffee orany other suitable commodity beside sugar, and is, therefore, a veryuseful domestic utensil.

What I claim is:--

1. A caster comprising a container having a cylindrical outlet passage,an annular inwardly projecting ridge in said passage intermediate of itsends, and a measuring :and delivery valve associated with said passage,comprising two valvelike members spaced apart on a rod, and both ofequal diameter, just smaller than the internal diameter of the passage,but greater than that of the ridge, said members being spaced apart by adistance less than the length of the passage but greater than thedistance from either end of. the passage to the side of the ridgefurthest from such end, the ridge constituting a stop defining the limitof movement of the valve members in both directions, and so that, in anintermediate position, 'both the valve-like members are within theirrespective ends of said passage.

2. A caster according to claim 1 characterized by a stand having arecess adapted to receive and enclose the lower end of the caster, onwhich end is formed the outlet passage, the bottom of the recess beingjust lower than the end of the valve rod when the caster is supported inthe stand with the valves in their raised position, the bottom of. thestand thereby acting as a stop to prevent opening or downward movementof the valves.

3. A caster according to claim 1 characterized in that the valve-likemembers are detachably mounted on their rod and separated by adetachable distance piece which determines their spacing apart.

MAURICE LOCKER.

